Penn State University, School of International Affairs

Core Skills Drive Resilience to Navigate New Career Frontiers

Penn State’s School of International Affairs (SIA) has long emphasized core skills like negotiation, evidence-based analysis, and effective communication to prepare students for impactful careers across sectors. Now, in response to global shifts, the school is reinforcing these competencies while expanding pathways into emerging fields.

“We’re reviewing our curriculum, taking a closer look at the skills we instill and asking, how can we do this even more effectively,” explains the school’s director, Mitchell Smith. “One area that deserves more attention right now is the global economy.”

Supporting the school’s effort to refine its academic approach and alignment with the evolving professional landscape is a vast, close-knit global network of alumni whose on-the-ground experience and broad reach make them uniquely attuned to developments in the field. “Our alumni have developed a sophisticated understanding of their career paths and the world of work,” Smith says. “They offer tremendous insight.”

During a recent panel, alumni noted that while some traditional roles are consolidating, new opportunities are emerging — particularly in smaller government bodies, state agencies with international dimensions, and the financial sector.

The school’s inherently interdisciplinary model offers another key advantage. Students can take electives across Penn State’s colleges, from cybersecurity courses at the College of Information Sciences and Technology to media training in the College of Communications.

This flexibility broadens students’ skill sets and reinforces transferability across sectors and roles, preparing them to adapt to the hybrid challenges of today’s global workforce. Smith highlights an example of an alum who leveraged skills honed in international aid to effectively coordinate disaster relief at the local government level. “It’s an important message to our students: Even if they imagine a career in the federal government, the private sector can also offer a productive path,” he says.

To boost adaptability and real-world exposure, SIA’s career trips to the World Bank and the Center for Strategic and International Studies will now include simulation exercises, in addition to the school’s signature international strategic crisis negotiation exercise with the US Army War College. Simulation-based learning is likewise growing in classrooms, offering students more opportunities for hands-on experiences.

Smith is confident that the skills and experiences students gain at SIA form a strong foundation for long-term career adaptability — regardless of future changes in the field. He also underscores the school’s commitment to continuous, individualized career support, starting from day one and lasting well past graduation day.

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Extensive Career Services and Alumni Connections Help Foster Success

SIA offers comprehensive career services, including professional development workshops, résumé and cover letter review, job search assistance, and help identifying internships in the US and abroad. It organizes career-exposure trips to Washington, DC, and New York City, and hosts on-campus job talks and panels.

Students tap into the powerful Penn State network, with 800,000-plus alums worldwide. The school connects students with SIA alums in multiple ways, including at networking receptions and through the school’s Alumni Mentorship Program.

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Penn State University, School of International Affairs
sia.psu.edu
[email protected]
814-867-2242